When is Champions League play-off round draw and how to watch | Football | Sport
The draw for the 2025/26 Champions League knockout phase play-offs is scheduled for Friday, January 30, 2026. The ceremony will take place at 11.00am at the House of European Football in Nyon, Switzerland, which serves as the official UEFA headquarters.
The draw involves 16 clubs that finished between ninth and 24th in the single league table. Teams finishing in the top eight qualify automatically for the round of 16, while those finishing 25th or lower are eliminated from European competition entirely.
Teams are split into two groups: those finishing between ninth and 16th are seeded, while those finishing between 17th and 24th are unseeded. Seeded teams are rewarded with the advantage of playing the second leg of their play-off tie at home.
To ensure high stakes, the draw follows a specific bracket. For instance, teams in ninth or tenth will face those in 23rd or 24th. This tennis-style seeding system is designed to protect the highest-ranked teams from meeting each other early.
The two-legged ties are set to take place shortly after the draw. The first legs are scheduled for February 17 and 18, with the decisive second-leg fixtures following on February 24 and 25, 2026.
Unlike the initial league phase, there is no “country protection” in this round. Clubs can be drawn against opponents from the same national association, potentially leading to all-English showdowns or rematches of games played earlier in the season.
The eight winners of these play-off ties will advance to the Round of 16. The draw for that stage, which includes the top eight seeds, will take place on Friday, February 27, 2026.
